Skirt-form



(No Model.)

A. VASSEUR.

SKIRT FORM.

No. 457,062. Patented Aug. 4, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTIN VASSEUR, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SKIRT-FORNI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 457,062, dated August 4, 1891. Application filed April 16| 1891. Serial No. 389,182. n(No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AUGUSTIN VASSEUR, a

citizen of France, but at present residing at cured to adapt the form to more general use.

In accordance with this invention the form between its top and bottom or intermediate its ends is divided into three or more segmental parts, suitable means being provided to force these segments apart or away from the center to enlarge the form. The adjusting means which I prefer to employ consists of a series of radially-arranged arms or levers acting at their outer ends against the segments, and at their inner adjacent ends the said arms are acted upon by a common adj usting-rod, movey ment of which acts to straighten the said arms and spread the segments to enlarge the form. The top of the form is preferably halved to permit enlargement, as will be described.

One part of this invention therefore consists in a dress-form divided intermediate its ends into three or more segmental parts and means to move said segmental parts away from the center of the dress-form, substantially as will be described.

Another part of this invention consists in a dress-form divided intermediate its ends into segmental parts, combined with arms adapted to act against said segmental parts to spread the same and an adj listing-rod to move' said arms, substantially as will be described.

Other features of this invention. will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure l represents a dress-form embodying this invention, one-half of the same being Shown by dotted lines only to show the adjusting means; Fig. 2, a detail to more clearly show the operation of the means for adjustment; Fig. 3, a section on the dotted line x x, showing the top or waist portion of the form tail or plan View showing the radially-arranged arms.

The dress-form is herein represented as composed of the vertical or diagonal strips a, preferably of rattan or like flexible material, bound together to preserve them inV proper shape by the top and bottom bands or strips b c and the intermediate bands or strips d d', which strips are bound to or interwoven with the strips or, the whole formin ga suitable form, the contour of which may be varied as desired.

In accordance with the invention herein contained the bands or strips d d are severed in such manner as to form, preferably, three segmental portions intermediate the ends of the form, although a larger number may be provided, if desired. One of the said segmental portions will preferably comprise onethe remaining portion of the form, the said segments being re-enforced upon their insides by the segmental strips or pieces e e e2, (see Fig. 4,) which pieces have jointed to theirinner sides, as represented, the radially arranged adjusting-armsf, jointed or connected at their inner adjacent ends to a common lifting or adjusting rod h, said rod extending up l through the top of the form, as represented.

the arms f will be forced down, and, acting inthe nature of toggle-levers, will spread or force the segmental pieces e e e2 apart or away from the-center of the form to thus enlarge the form and adapt it for a larger dress, and in like manner if the rod 7L is lifted the inner ends of the arms f will be raised in like manner to draw the segmental pieces toward the center of the form to cause the form to contract or be made smaller in circumference.

To provide for enlargement of the form at the waist, the band b is severed, preferably, at the back, and two bars m applied, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, the iiexibility of the material or band h at the point 10 acting like a hinge to permit the two halves thus formed to cause them to be opened apart o r closed, the adjusting-rod h being passed up between the bars m to cause them to be more or less separated to enlarge the waist, according as the and means to adjust the same; Fig. 4, a dehalf of the circle or form and the other two As the rod h is depressed the inner ends of IOO rod is placed near to or away from those ends of the bars secured to the closed side 10 of the waistband b.

Referring to Fig. 3, one of the bars m is provided with a series 0f projecting pins 4, adapted to enter any one of a series of holes 5 in the adjusting-rod, so that the said rod may be held in proper adjusted position by hooking the rod upon one of the pins, either of the pins being employed for this purpose, according to the desired size of the waist.

The open ends ofthe waistband b are preferably joined by a rubber band r to always keep the bars or halves m drawn tightly together, embracing the rod hbetween them.

I am aware that it is not new to divide a dress-form into halves and separate the same laterally by means of adj usting-screws; but by reference to Fig. 4 it will be seen that as the segments are forced apart the form is not lengthened in one direction only, but is enlarged in all directions.

A dress-form divided into two halves when the halves are spread apart will enlarge or lengthen the form in one direction only, leaving the distance through the form in the other direction the same as before, or abnormally small in proportion; but by employing three or more segments, as shown, when the form is enlarged or lengthened in one direction it is likewise broadened or enlarged in the other direction to maintain its proper and symmetrical proportions.

The dress-form herein shown and described may be cheaply made from rattan and like flexible material to subserve every purpose of the more expensive steel forms in general use at the present time.

This invention is not limited to the particular form and construction herein shown, as the same may be varied and still come within the scope of this invention.

I claim- 1. A skirt-form composed of upwardly-extended strips united together at their lower ends by a bottom strip, said form being divided above said bottom strip into segmental portions, combined with adj Listing-arms acting at their outer ends against said segmental portions and at their inner ends acted upon 5o by a longitudinally-movable 'adjusting-rod, movement of said rod vertically and with relation to said form acting to spread said arms to adjust the form, substantially as described.

2. A skirt-form divided intermediate its ends into segmental portions and means to adjust the same, said form having its waistband severed at one side and formed at its opposite side to serve as a hinge, whereby the two halves of the waistband may be opened apart, and means to adjust the said waistband, substantially as described.

3. A skirt-form divided intermediate its ends into segmental portions and having its waistband severed at one side and formed at the opposite side to serve as a hinge, whereby the two halves of the waistband may be opened apart, combined with an adjustingrod passed between the halves of said waistband, and means controlled thereby to spread rsaid segmental portions, the position of the said adjusting-rod nearer to or farther from the hinge portion of the waistband determining' the spread or opening between the halves of the waistband, substantially as described.

4. A skirt-form having its waistband lsevered at one sideA and formed at its opposite side to serve as a hinge, whereby the two halves of the waistband may be opened or spread,`means to open or spread said halves, and a rubber r to normally draw said halves toward each other, substantially as described.-

5. A skirt-form divided intermediate its ends into three or more segmental portions and having its waistband severed and forming halves, and the bars m, provided with pins, combined with means to spread said segmental portions, and the adjusting-rod h, having holes 5, all to operate substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presencev of two subscribing witnesses.

. AUGUSTIN VASSEUR.

Witnesses: r

BERNICE J.'NoYEs, EDWARD F. ALLEN. 

